The present invention relates to a cup holder or cup holding device disposed in a compartment of an automobile or the like and suitable for holding a cup or the like.
FIG. 7 shows a conventional cup holding device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2794389. The cup holding device includes a case (retainer) 50 with a front opening; a tray 51 movable between a drawn position and a storage position with respect to the case 50; and a holding member 52 movable between a non-usable position overlapped with the tray 51 and stored in the case 50 and a usable position extending upwardly through a forward movement of the tray 51.
The holding member 52 holds a periphery of a container K placed on the tray 51 through a hole of a holding portion 52a at the usable position. The tray 51 includes a pair of attaching pieces 51a projecting from a bottom surface thereof, and moves with both sides thereof sliding along guiding rails disposed on both inner sides of the case 50. The holding member 52 includes a pair of supporting pieces 52b connected to the holding portion 52a, pins 53 projecting from the supporting pieces 52b, stopping surfaces 52c provided on a lower side of a base end of the supporting pieces 52b, and upper locking portions 52d provided on an upper side of the base ends of the supporting pieces 52b. The holding member 52 is rotatably assembled to the attaching pieces 51a of the tray 51 through the pins 53 and is urged upwardly by a spring member (not shown).
The holding member 52 rotates around the pins 53 and rises obliquely with the urging force when the tray 51 is drawn out from the storage position to the drawn position. In this state, the stopping surfaces 52c abut against the bottom plate of the tray 51 to restrict the excessive rotation of the holding member 52. The locking portions 52d abut against the upper plate of the case 50, so that the holding member 52 does not rotate to the non-usable position even if an improper downward load F is applied to the holding member 52. Incidentally, reference numeral 54 represents a sub-holding member, and when a container has a diameter smaller than that of the hole of the holding portion 52a, the sub-holding member pushes the outer periphery of the container to absorb wobbling.
In the cup holding device as described above, there are the following problems. First, in the device shown in FIG. 7, when the holding member 52 receives the downward load F, the locking portions 52d apply a load to the upper plate of the case 50, so that the device might be damaged. The holding member 52 rotates with respect to the tray 51 around the pins 53 as supporting points, and has the base end side shorter than the holding portion 52a side with the pin 53 as the center. Accordingly, when an article or hand advertently pushes the holding portion 52a from above, due to the action of leverage, an excessive load is applied to the corresponding case portion contacting the locking portion 52d. 
Second, in general, a cup holding device preferably has a simple structure and operates smoothly. However, the holding member 52 is urged upwardly with a spring member with the pins 53 as supporting points, and it is necessary to provide the spring member with a considerably large urging force, thereby making it difficult to move smoothly. When the tray 51 moves to the storage portion, the case 50 pushes the holding member 52 to overlap with the tray 51. When the spring member has the large urging force, a large load needs to be applied to the holding member 52 to overlap with the tray 51. Accordingly, it is preferred that the spring member for urging the holding member upwards be omitted, or, at least, have a small urging force. Further, the tray 51 and the holding member 52 are fixed to the tray 51 through the pins 53, thereby restricting the design flexibility.
Third, in the structure, the holding member 52 is lifted upwardly, and the container K is inserted into the hole of the holding portion 52a with the periphery thereof held. It is preferred that the holding member 52 is lifted parallel to the tray 51 as much as possible in view of a stable holding, an appearance or the like. When the device has a structure in which the holding member is vertically moved with respect to the tray through a parallel link, it is difficult to take a countermeasure for the load F described above, and the tray becomes large.
In view of the above problems, it is an object of the invention to provide a cup holding device, wherein even if the downward load is applied to a holding member, the holding member is not improperly shifted to a non-usable position, thereby preventing damage.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.